The World We Saw
by headlessNmindless
Summary: AU - Life is but a game, they say. But what if you had to realize that winning the game you thought you were playing just for fun was the only way to survive? For Petra, Levi and 15 others it is too late to quit; they have to move on and either win the game so that they can return to their normal lifes or lose and die eventually. - SNK meets 'SAO' and 'The Hunger Games'.
1. What Should Be Done

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)_

_Author's Note: Hello everybody! Welcome to my first SNK FanFic! Have fun with Petra and Levi on their dark adventure on which they hopefully grow closer to each other step by step._

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**The World We Saw**

_Chapter I – What Should Be Done_

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The day she received the letter, confirming that she was going to participate in the project, marks the point in her life where everything changed. For the better or worse, you may cannot say yet.

A gentleman with the name of Erwin Smith sent her his congratulations in it and gave her all the instructions she needed.

He told her she wasn't allowed to bring any personal things, for one would not need them during the game itself, not even clothes. She also had to sign to never in her life give away any information about her or others participating in the project and anything that happened within to anyone. This whole 'experiment' like they called it, was top secret until the day it started.

At first she was not that eager to enter in and was almost completely positive they would never pick a woman or more likely girl like her as a competitor. What did she have to offer them? She had no combat experience, nor any fighting skills, was not the best in sports and never had any survival training. Maybe she was chosen to portray the 'easy match' so that the real attendants felt better, or something.

But then the day came when the letter flew in and suddenly she was curious. Almost excited. She was about to experience an adventure, something not everyone could do, something more, yeah better, than everyday life. And maybe she could even succeed, the price for succeeding in the game was a huge amount of money. And she could clearly use that money very well. With it, she could finally attend a college of her choice, get educated and have a life on her own, independent of her father's financial support. She would be free.

So she started training in her free time, started to run and hike and also to swim, taught herself to make fire with things you could find in the forest, to cook and distinguish between poisonous and eatable plants and herbs. But she had to admit, she did not do very well in most things connected to sports.

She prepared herself and kept her mouth shut for half a year, told absolutely nobody about it and then had to leave her apartment and got transported in a minivan all the way through the country. She got a 'hello' but nothing more. The driver did not answer any of her questions, not even if anybody would join her on her little journey. They drove in total silence which soon lost its awkwardness.

Now she almost felt couragous because of what she was doing. Normally she was not the type for adventure. Normally she was the girl standing in the back, smiling awkwardly with a certain blush on her cheeks. Always there for everybody but never really seen by anyone. All she ever did was living up to someone's expectations, always busy with pleasing everyone around her. But then, after high school, she felt like doing something new. So she told her father she would go to college, work hard for it and moved out. Five years later she was indeed working hard but her dream of going to college was still out of reach. Reality struck her hard and she had to learn that intelligence alone was not the key to education, instead it was money. Money she did not have and would not accept from her father. And so she started lying. She told her dad she worked a lot and that the money she earned was enough to pay for college but also that she was just too busy to visit him or to be visited by him. And so she was a maid in a cafe and a waitress in arestaurant and also a delivery girl on weekends, but not a student. She did not like to tell her father lies, of course, but she rather lied than disappoint him. After her mother's death, she was the only thing her father could hold on to and with that came great responsibility and a great burden at the same time.

Now she was a very nervous, for she did not have any clue what lay ahead of her and looking back now, it may would have been better if she had just jumped out of the minivan. But on the other hand, it maybe wasn't.

The location the driver was driving her to was top secret as well, the only thing she realized was that it was pretty far away from where she lived, or maybe the driver drove in cricles for distraction. You couldn't even look out of the window, they were tinted black and not see through. She almost felt like a culprit on her way to prison, not aware of how right her presumptions were.

Sometime after nightfall she fell asleep on the backseats, without wearing seatbelts, but the driver, what a surprise, did not even bother to check on her. Her dreams were wild and unclear, like fever dreams in some ways but she would not remember them after waking up.

It was hard to guess how long they were driving, she overslept most of the time but when they finally arrived wherever that was, she was still deadbeat tired.

''We're there. Leave the bus'', the driver commanded in a deep and monotone voice. She wondered what would have happened if she would've had to pee on the ride, if he would have stopped or not. Shyly she climbed out of the car and thanked him politely. Speaking of the devil she suddenly felt a great urge to relieve herself.

Outside she was greeted by great darkness. Tiredly she blinked rapidly until her big caramel colored eyes got used to the absence of a source of light. She made out a great bulding infront of her, it looked like an old military station with its high grey walls, the very few windows and the lack of any decorations.

She looked around but could not find any other building near by, there was a small road on which she had got here but beside that, there were only trees. Lots and lots of trees. A forest. She was in the middle of a dark forest. How creepy. A shiver ran down her spine. It had gotten cold lately.

There was no sound but the wind that played with the leaves and caused her shoulder long hair to poke into her eyes.

After she scanned the environment she was in, she had to decide how to proceed. She checked her possibilities and then guessed the only logical thing to do was entering the only building in sight.

There was not a real path, only a line where someone had cut off the wild grass so that you could approach the building. She followed it hesitantly, never dropping her gaze from the building. The distance got shorter and she made out a tall but slim figure standing next to the entrance door. It was not moving. Had he or she been standing there all the time? Did he or she monitor her?

She raised her hand to greet that someone but the figure remained motionless. So she slowed down her pace, a little suspicious if she was doing the right thing. But then she saw the figure walking towards her and after a few metres you could make out that it was a she. And she was smiling brightly at her. In her hands she carried a bag which was the reason she did not wave back, she assumed. She was indeed tall and appeared to be rather fit. With her ponytail, the overly excited look on her face and her glasses she made the impression to be a mad scientist or something like that.

When they were only ten metres apart from each other the woman started to talk to her.

''Hello Petra! You are Petra aren't you? Petra Ral? My name is Hange Zoe! I will give you some instructions and prepare you for the next couple of days. I've got here some things for you, you should try them on, to see if they fit. You can take a shower before, if you want to! Take your time, I guess the journey was quite exhausting! I will be waiting for you. Maybe I should show you where you can change and shower at first, shouldn't I? Where am I again with my thoughts? Am I babbling too much again? Oh well, you should get used to it! Hi, nice to meet you'', she said, shaking Petra's fragile hand after she put her arms full with the things she should throw over.

''Hello, nice to meet you, too'', Petra mumbled while trying to not lose anything on the way.

Hange guided her into the building. Inside it was almost as cold as outside and Petra hoped that Hange would give her a jacket some time soon.

There was no entrance hall, just a long corridor with many doors on each side. The corridor was dimly lit so Petra could see Hange better. She was wearing a leather jacket with matching boots and tight pants with a button down shirt that looked like it was designed for men instead of women. Her hair was a dark brown shade, similar to chocolate, she had tanned skin and pearl white teeth; all in all she looked healthy as can be.

''Don't be frightened of how it looks here. This building is not beautiful but it has everything we need for the project. Plus you won't stay here for long, you want to play the game, don't you? That's why you're here, why all of you are here! This is going to be so exciting! I can't wait! Here we are! This is your room, it's not much, but you have a bed and a wardrobe and a small bathroom with a shower. I'll leave you alone for now, but I'll be back! Haha! Do you understand? _I'll be back_? Whatever, see you later!'', Hange babbled and laughed hysterically. Petra was torn between liking her weird attitude or detesting it. She thanked the still laughing woman but it seemed she did not even hear her.

Hange shoved her into the room and closed the door in front of her nose with a big grin on her face. There she was, alone in a small, dark room like a prisoner, without any knowledge what was happening.

_I volunteered for this right? I can quit anytime I want_. Petra said this again and again in her mind to calm herself down. Where were all the others? In their rooms as well, she guessed. Or maybe they were one step further and already played the game?

She looked around. In the top left corner was a small bed with folded bedsheets on it. Next to it stood a wooden nightstand with a few candles on it. Candels? Was this supposed to be a joke? On the opposite wall was the so called 'wardrobe' more likely to be a shelf. Petra put the things she was carrying down and explored the things lying on this shelf. Most of it was underwear, everything black. She examined a pair of panties.

''Sexy'', she whispered ironically and put it back. Then she turned to look out of the small square window, but she was too short and failed.

Finally she noticed the door next to the bed that led into the bathroom. It was clean and had everything you needed but exactly beautiful was something else. The white tiles looked old and some of them were even broken. The sink had a few cracks and the mirror above it missed a corner.

She took a good look at herself in it and was surprised by how well she looked except for the dark circles under her eyes and the messy hair.

Petra then decided to take the opportunity to shower and searched for some towels for afterwards. She found some in the cabinet underneath the sink. Like the pieces of clothing they were pitch black but very soft to touch.

She didn't have to wait long until the water was warm and so she stripped off her pants, blouse and undergarments and showered, washed her silky, honey colored hair and body and enjoyed the warmth coating her. She thought about what lay ahead of her, what was awaiting the attendants and hoped that somebody would give her some information about it soon. How many competitors were there beside her anyways? When would she meet them? Would she meet them at all before the project started?

Questions filled her head so that she completely forgot about the time. A soft knock on the bathroom door brought her back to reality at once.

''Petra, are you in there? I am sorry to interrupt you but we have to follow a time schedule and that says that you have to be in the main hall in ten minutes! Can you make that?'' Petra recognized Hange's voice through the door and stopped the water flow to understand her better.

''Euh, yes, of course! Miss Zoe? Do I have a hairdryer?'', she asked.

''Yes under the sink! Hurry up, I'll wait for you outside'', Hange stated.

And so she did. In no time she was outside the shower, had fresh clothes on and blow dried her hair. Petra was used to having no time to spare, with three jobs at the same time just so she could live without starving.

She took a look in the mirror again. The things Hange gave her to wear fitted quite well. The black pants suited her and the also black T-shirt was nothing special. The leather boots were exactly her size so there was nothing to complain about.  
Petra opened the chamber door and noticed Hange leaning against the wall.

''There you are! Let's get going! You're going to meet the other attendants now and you are going to get to know what will happen in the next couple of days. Are you excited yet? I bet you are! Hopefully you all get along and become friends! You're all so cute and nice! I'm glad we have only nice people to participate in the project. Aw, I am so curious if you put up a good show! But I am sure you will. Here we are. If you open this door, there is no turning back! You ready?''

For the first time it seemed, Hange waited for Petra to answer her question and for the first time she was not sure what to answer. She inhaled slowly and thought the whole thing over in her head. _You need money, Petra, you finally want to go to college, you want to be independent and this is your only chance to accomplish all of this._ What should happen? She would not have to sacrifice the life of her firstborn child or even fight monsters or anything. Childish thoughts.

''Yes. I am ready'', she finally answered and exhaled.

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_Author's Note: _

_How do you like it? Feel free to review, favorite or follow my story if you liked the first chapter! :) The second will follow soon. Oh, and if you find a spelling mistake please inform me about it! _


	2. Attack On Titan

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)_

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**The World We Saw**

_Chapter II - Welcome To The New Age_

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''Yes. I am ready'', she finally answered and exhaled.

''Alright then, please open the door'', Hange said firmly. All of a sudden every bit of excitement vanished from her face. Now she was dead serious. This change of mood bothered Petra. What was wrong with this door? Why didn't Hange open it herself, why did she have to? Nervously Petra looked from Hange to the doorknob and back to Hange. She did not look back at her, she fixated the door without even blinking. It seemed she wasn't absolutely calm herself.

Petra's shaking hand grabbed the doorknob and she slowly pushed the thick door open.  
Inside the room it was darker than outside. A lamp in the middle of the ceiling with a blue lightbulb was the only source of light and tinted the room in a cold shade of dark blue. You could hear a constant 'beep beep beep' which reminded Petra of hospital sounds, a life-support-machine maybe. But not only one, the beeping filled the room, caused pain in her ears and let her hesitate. The room appeared to be some kind of lab, with many metallic elements like small tables and a lot of... surgical instruments?

But what shocked Petra the most was the huge amount of futuristic looking coffins or fridges. They were positioned in parallel rows against the walls and had each a small display on them but Petra was not able to read what was written there yet.

''W-what is that?'', Petra asked a little scared.

Hange stood close behind her, she could feel her breath in her neck but she did not dare to turn around.

''This is the project. Please follow me'', Hange demanded and began to walk to the opposite site of the room. Petra followed her intimidated but not without trying to read what the displays on the fridge-like coffins said.

_Lionheart, Jäger, Alert, MarcoPolo, Eldorado, Gun_ what did all of this mean?

''I thought we were playing on computers?'', Petra asked while she followed the tall woman walking infront of her.

''Technically you are. These are computers. Once you are connected to the system, you'll get to know everything you need. Your questions will be answered, I promise. Don't worry too much. The only thing you should worry about is the nickname you pick. Some of you aren't really blessed with name-picking talents, I dare say. So do you know a name, yet?'' It seemed Hange was trying to distract her. The constant beeping drove Petra almost insane anyway.

''Euh... no. What would be a good name then?'', she asked back half-heartedly. She still was busy looking around, scanning her surroundings, observing. But one single thing escaped her gaze. Hange now stood right infront of it; it was one of these futuristic fridge-like coffins but it was open, so you could see the insides. There was a free space, perfectly sized for a human body of Petra's height and silhouette. There were a lot of cables and monitors and scanners and stuff Petra had only seen in movies but never with her own two eyes.

''Look at you! You even ask me to give you a name! What an innocent little dove you are! Dove! That's a good name for you! So now, if you please'', Hange said and gestured towards the futuristic frdige-like coffin.

''You expect me to lie down in there? Wait, there are people lying inside of these things? In all of them?'' Petra could not believe what she now realized. This was indeed the project. This was what she signed up for. Anxiously she turned around and took another look at the metallic coffins. This could not be. She backed away like a scared doe.

''Don't panic! I understand that this is new and probably frightening for you, but you can trust us. We will monitor you the whole time you're in there. We care for you! Nothing bad is gonna happen to you inside of there. Please, give us a chance. Once you're in the game, you'll get a message from Mister Smith himself, who will explain everything to you. Petra, I am here for you. So please, lie down and relax'', Hange instructed her. She offered her even her hand. Petra looked at it, still overthinking what she was doing. _This is just a game, nothing bad will happen_, she told herself in her mind. Life could only get better for her, she then decided.  
Eventually she took Hange's hand, who supported her while she tried to lie down comfortably.

''Good. Exactly. Petra, I don't want to worry you, but you will soon feel two needles at your neck. Over that vein catheter you get provided with everything you need and also with something that makes your body relax, okay?'', Hange spoke in a very soft and calm voice.

''Like – like a narcotic substance?'', Petra croaked. She was not too scared of the pain, more of what would happen to her after she lost control of her body.

''Yes, like a narcotic substance. But don't worry, your body is safe. You will feel the needles now – yes, there they were, brave girl. Now I'll close the lid, sleep tight, Petra. Sweet dreams'', Hange said and grinned at Petra while closing the heavy looking lid.

Petra's heartbeat fastened rapidly. She felt as if she got buried alive. Her pulse was running wild, she tried to cry for help, for Hange to stop, but then noticed that she was not able to speak anymore. She also noticed that she could not see anymore, or feel. The world was black and she felt like falling. Petra tried to move her fingertips but couldn't at first. After trying a few times she managed to do so. She then made a fist, clenched it and relaxed her fingers again. She slowly regained her control, was then able to move her whole arm, then her feet.  
Now she could breath again, even though it was hard. Her neck was stiff, her limbs heavy, what was going on with her? Continuing with training her muscles, she also cleared her dry throat and coughed a lot.

After what felt like hours, she was finally able to stand up after a few failed tries. She had to learn everything from the start, just like a newborn baby.

And then, after an eternity, Petra understood that it was black all around her, because she still had her eyes closed. After opening them and blinking several times, there was light. And this light caused Petra to notive her nudity. Embarrassed, she tried to cover up the most important parts.

''Don't bother, Miss Ral. No one can see you'', a deep voice said. Petra looked around but could not make out the source of the voice. _Who is this?_

''My name is Erwin Smith. I will give you all the instructions you'll need for the next time. Finally, you may think'', the voice continued to say. _Why am I naked_?

''You will soon receive your outfit. You are the last one joining the group, by the way. After we are finished with talking, the game will start'', Erwin Smith explained.

_Can you read my mind? Why can't I talk_?

''You can talk. Just open your mouth.''  
''I-I can really talk? Oh, well, what a surprise. So I can finally ask; What is this project all about? I am so curious'', Petra asked. She was standing in some sort of a small cabin. It had nothing in it besides a large wardrobe and a mirror. Not even windows, just wood all around her.

''This project runs under the name of 'Attack On Titan' and you will soon find out why, finding out why is a task in the game by the way. In this game are seventeen players involved, thirteen are male and only four are female. And you, Petra, are one of them. Each of you got chosen because of one of your character attributes, that make you special in some ways. You are now living in a world created by Pixi Studios, an organisation for creating games with neurointerfaces. This is something brand new and you and your comrades are the first beings to experience this kind of gameplay. You may wonder where you are, so I will show you. In 'Attack On Titan' the world is seperated in four main areas. The first is called 'The Outside', here you have to test your abilities and find a partner to continue playing. You may already noticed that there are seventeen competitors, so one person will end up without a partner. He is less likely to win the game.''

Petra paid good attention to what Erwin Smith was telling her, it may was essential for the game. In her head she made a list of the things she had to do; firstly pick a partner.

''The second area is called 'Maria'. To go there you have to overcome a high wall. In there the tasks will get harder and this will continue throughout every area. The third is called 'Rose' and the final and also endstation of the game is named 'Sina'. There you will have to exceed your limits, I dare say. And if you make it, you have won the game and return to the real world. Let me make one thing clear; this is your life now. You need to collect food, keep yourself warm, pee and most imporatntly; keep yourself away from danger. Any questions so far?'' Erwin Smith asked.

''Yes. When will I get the chance to put on some clothes?'', Petra asked shyly, still fearing someone could see her. She could hear a quiet chuckle.

''Right now. Please go over to the wardrobe. There you will find your equipment consisting of white pants, a white blouse, brown knee high leather boots, a brown leather jacket and belt system so everything stays in place. Can you see it, Petra?'', Erwin asked politely.

''Yes, yes I can see it, thank you, Sir'', Petra answered while putting on her new clothes. They fitted perfectly and felt good on her skin. This was high quality fabric, or at least it was an image of it.

''Now, Petra, is the time to say goodbye to your real name. Please pick a fitting nickname for the game'', Erwin demanded in a friendly manner.

For a second, Petra thought about just picking her own name, but then thought this would show a lack of creativity and was simply boring. So she went for Hange's suggestion.

''I go with 'Dove', I guess. Is that okay?''

''That is perfectly fine. I welcome you to the world of 'Attack On Titan', Dove. I will now give you all the names of your comrades; LuKiss, GimmeFood, Brown, Heichou, Hunter, Lionheart, Jäger, Conger, LochNess, Boz, Hoover, MarcoPolo, Alert, JeanDoe, Eldorado and Gun. Now it's time to discover the world of 'Attack On Titan', Dove'', Erwin ended his speech.

Petra was busy with checking out her new clothes and wished she could just take them with her after the game.

''But what is this game about? Do we have to fight Zombies? Go on missions? Save kidnapped maidens?'', Petra asked, almost frustrated because of the lack of useful information.

''You will find out yourself. But at first, you have to find a partner. A last tip: If you wave your hand before your face, you open the menu. There you have many opportunities, for example check on the statuses of the other competitors, overlook the things you collected, keep an eye on your own status and so much more. Good luck, Dove. I hope that I still will be able to meet you in person after the game'', Erwin said and his voice sounded some sort of sad, or truely worried. Petra now stood infront of the door, one hand on the knob already.

''What does that mean? You _hope_ to meet me in person?'', Petra asked suspiciously.

For a moment there was silence.

''Mister Smith? What does that mean?'', Petra repeated, now louder.

The door opened itself somehow and a strong force pushed Petra outside. She held on to the door, so that she could scream at the now absent voice of Erwin Smith.

''That means, Dove, if you die in here, you die out there. That is what makes AOT so special. That is the core. Good luck'', Erwin concluded and a silent pop marked that he would talk no more. The door closed at once and Petra sat infront of it in the wet grass. Weak, alone and clueless. This was her life now, she remembered being told earlier. And now she understood the depth of these words.

Good luck, indeed.

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_Author's Note: _

_So what do you think? Please Tell me! You already have guesses who could be behind these usernames? I am curious :)_


	3. Meeting Heichou

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)_

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**The World We Saw**

_Chapter III - Meeting Heichou_

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The cabin vanished infront of Petra's eyes and on it's place now lay a small lilac diamond-like stone that reflected the sunlight in a playful way.

She was still sitting in the grass, trying to conceive what was happening, what Erwin Smith had told her at the last moment. If she died in here, she'd die out there. That sounded like a nightmare, a bad dream and nothing else. She breathed heavily, almost hyperventilating. She never played any games, not really. She had no clue how to do things, how to win or whatever. The last time she had played a game had been in her early childhood and then just something like 'Mario Kart' or 'Legend of Zelda', nothing else and Petra doubted that this game would be anything like Mario Kart. The name on its own sounded dangerous 'Attack On Titan'... What could this game be about? Something surely attacked, or you had to attack something, but titans? Like old greek gods or was that something completely different?

If this game was really that real, so real you could die at any minute, the developers gave way too few information, for Petra's taste. But what should she do? There was no turning back. She had to win to return to the real world, otherwise she would be stuck in here for ever. So what else could she do than playing? She had to give her best, she now realized. There was no other solution for this gigantic 3D problem.

So before her pants got soaking wet, she stood up and moved towards the lilac diamond. It rotated and flew a few inches above the ground. Hesitantly she streched out her small hand, about to touch it with her fingertips. When her fingers reached the even and cool surface of the stone, it stopped rotating and then popped in a small explosion. Petra was frightened at the sudden change of behavior but also noticed a message in the upper right corner of her eye.

''One diamond has been added to your collection.'' After reading it, it disappeared.

Now there was nothing else than forest around her. She could hear some birds singing but apart from that it was quiet. Petra than summarily decided to just explore the location she was in. Without destination of course.

Everything felt so real, Petra did not feel any difference to the real world. She could feel the wind on her skin, the soft ground underneath her feet, her body felt the same, too. How was this possible? Frightening how far technology already has gotten. They could cage a person inside of their own mind. Was this even legal? But then Petra remembered, she had signed so many papers. Maybe she should have given them to a lawyer to proof-read them. But of course she did not have the money for something like that.

She needed to think clear, what was the best thing to do now? _Find a partner,_ a small voice inside of her head reminded her. Easy thing to say, she could not see any other soul beside herself. But if she was told to find a partner, it meant that there were other persons in this world. Sixteen others to be exact. So if she continued searching she should find someone.

She wondered if a partner should have certain qualities, if she should be picky, but on the other hand, what did she have to offer in return? What were her special abilities that would help in this game?

Just then, Petra heard another pop and a small first aid kit appeared infront of her, over which she promptly tripped. She fell back to the ground but without hurting herself. Still on the ground she turned around and grabbed for the first aid kit. She opened it and inspected it attentively. There were sticking plasters, bandages, different ointments and other stuff. _Neat_, Petra thought, th_is could come in quite handy_.

She added it to her so called 'collection' and then continued her hike.

Petra had to admit, this world was really beautiful in some ways. There grew wildfloweres, the leaves had a nice, deep green, the air smelled clean and the sky was blue as can be. But still, this was a prison, as hard as Pixi Studios tried, they could not change that fact. This is a golden cage and nothing more or less.

Petra climbed over a hill. This again brought her to the sudden realization that she was as fit as an old cow. On top of the hill she searched alongside the horizon. In the far back she could make out the wall Erwin Smith had been talking about. It had to be really really high if Petra could see it even if it was so far away.

''Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey! You there ontop of the hill! Heeeeeeeeeeelloooooo!'' A voice? A person? Petra now looked around excitedly to find the person calling out for her. And indeed only a hundred metres away stood two small figures. Petra thanked god and made her way down towards the persons but not without stumbling multiple times over roots, rocks and bigger plants. She began to run so happy was she to finally find other gameplayers. With getting closer, she could make out that both persons were girls. Both blond but one was slightly taller than the other one. When she finally reached them, she could see a smile on the taller one's face. She started to doubt if it really was a girl. He or she had a quite androgynous appearence to say the least.

''Hi!'', he or she greeted. The other person did not show the slightest inclination to greet her too.

''Hello!'', Petra replied happily. They shoke hands but the other girl refused to do so.

''You're still on your own? Don't you have a partner?'', the boy-girl asked. Petra had to stabilize her breathing.

''No, I am alone. I am so glad to finally meet someone in this hell!'', Petra confessed.

'' I was lucky to meet A-'' The girl beside him-her nudged him-her aggressively.

''Oh, yeah, right. Usernames. What I was going to say; I was lucky to meet Lionheart here just a few minutes after the game started. My name is Alert, by the way.'' Petra still didn't know if her counterpart was male or female. The name didn't give away any information about the gender of its owner.

''My name is Dove. Did you meet anyone else with whom I could form a partnership? I'm already sick of this game. Did you know what you were signing up for?'', Petra asked.

''No. Alert, let's move on'', the girl with the beaked nose commanded. And Alert followed her command. He or she waved at her and she waved back, disappointed and sad that she was alone again. But this was a game, they were opponents not partners. There she was, alone again.

Reluctantly she moved on. But to her pleasure, she heard some noises in the far distance. There had to be someone else! Now encouraged again she started running towards that noise. Did Lionheart lie to her? Why would she do that? There clearly was someone. But maybe that person already got a partner, Petra wondered.

She dreamed of a strong man, tall, broad-shouldered, polite, brave, intelligent, with beautiful warm brown eyes and always ready to defend her. Yes, she imagined her personal prince Charming. Of course this would be brilliant, but the chances of her dream becoming reality were rather weak. But maybe it was another girl, a nice person with whom she could talk and whom you could trust all your secrets to.

The forest got thicker and also darker. Was she really sure of wanting to go deeper in there? Was this the right path? But she had to take risks to move forward in this game. If she constantly hid, she would never progress, meaning she would never win and never return to her normal life. But risking too much would equal the end of the game, her death. How cruel this was. Torture. This was against all human rights. They were all guinea pigs in a labyrinth full of dangers.

Petra had to make the best out of it.

The noise got louder and louder. Petra tried to remember where she had heard that kind of noise before. It sounded somehow alive. Almost like screaming, but shriller.

The ground underneath her feet started shaking, birds fled from tree branches, let behind their nests. Petra stopped, this was no good. What was that? It sounded like cracking wood. And now she detected leaves flying around not too far away from her.

And then she saw Spiderman. Or Tarzan. He flew from tree to tree with some sort of ropes, no, more like thick wires. It was a majestetic image; he danced through the air as elegant as if he had never in his life done anything else. He spun around, did somersaults backwards and forwards. It seemed as if he was running away from something, but Petra could not take her eyes off of him. Never in her life had she seen something this beautiful.

''Oi, brat! Move! Do you want be run over?'', the man shouted while soaring above her. She stopped following him with her eyes and looked back straight forward. And was shocked.

Hundreds of wild hogs ran towards her, very wild wild hogs. They appeared to be angry and they would run over her soon. Petra was paralyzed, could not move her feet. There was no way to avoid all these animals. She wouldn't have thought that death would come to her this quickly. She had hoped that she would at least be able to fulfill the first task, simply finding a partner. But apparently she was even too untalented for that. She closed her eyes, sure she could not outrun this sounder of wild hogs anymore. So there was no other way to handle this situation than embracing death as a friend who would come to deliver her from pain. Then all of this would come to an end. A quick adventure, too much for her to take.

''Tsk. Cling on tight, dipshit'', she heard a voice. Was it an angel? If it was, it was quite a rude one. She opened her eyes and saw two arms wrapping themselves around her waist and then she felt how she lost the ground underneath her feet and soared up into the sky. The wild hogs ran only a few seconds later over the spot where she had been standing.

Petra clung to the arms which held her and screamed in fear. Was she flying? She went up and down and spun around and slowly she started to feel sick.

They left behind the wild hogs and flew in the opposite direction. When they were save they suddenly stopped. On the ground again the arms let go of her and she fell down, her legs feeling like pudding. She felt like puking.

''And you are supposed to be an opponent?'', the angel's voice said behind her. Petra turned around and for the first time she saw her lifesaver and was immediately surprised. This person did not look like a lifesaver at all, more like a villain in a movie. He was rather short and wore the same clothes as everyone else. Even though his lack of height he was still well built, with muscular legs and arms. He had black hair and wore them in an undercut. But the most impressive things were his completely umimpressed eyes. They had a sharp form and a greyish color and a bored look on them. No doubt he wasn't exactly ugly, but his whole appearance shouted 'stay away from me!'.

''Euh... I guess. W-what was that?'', Petra stuttered.

''Aren't you going to thank me, brat? Tsk. That was 3D Maneuver Gear'', he answered, striking an judgemental pose.

''I'm sorry! Thank you, of course! Thank you very much. Without you I would be – yeah, I would probably be -''

''Dead'', he finished her sentence. She nodded, knitting her brows, still scanning him from top to the bottom. He was only a little taller than her, she noticed after standing up, brushing off some leaves and grass.

''Yeah, right. Dead. Do all competitors have this 3D Maneuver Gear?'', she asked while looking at the metallic cases that hung on a belt right under his hips. They seemed to be heavy.

''No. Everyone got something else, some didn't get anything though. Didn't you receive anything?'', he asked her, piercing her with his eyes.

''I did. A first aid kit. Well, I guess that can't stick with your Maneuver Gear, though'', Petra joked nervously. She felt uncomfortable in his presence.

''My name is P- Dove, by the way'', she said, not daring to offer him her hand.

''A first aid kit? With cleaning and disinfection solution?'', he asked, ignoring the silent invitation to tell her his name in return. All of a sudden he looked a little less uninterested.

''I don't know'', Petra confessed but opening the menu at once. By clicking on a small picture of the kit, she let it appear in front of her. She opened it and took a look inside. And indeed there were various disinfectants and sanitizers. She showed them to him and could see the raising attention in his almost expressionless eyes.

''Well, you seem to be very good with your... thing and, you know, I just wondered if you might would be interested in... I mean, I know I don't have too offer much, but'', she mumbled.

''Get to the point'', he demanded, obviously annoyed.

''Will you be my partner in this game?'', Petra finally spat it out. Her heart stopped beating. How childish of her to think a guy like him would agree to be her partner.

''No'', he answered and Petra nodded in comprehension.

''This is where we part'', he bade adieu to her.

He turned around and ran off. Petra could not just let him go. Somehow she was sure she would not find anyone better. And also who would want her, she was close to useless. But on the other hand, she should try to sell herself better to others. Otherwise she would be the one without a partner and soon this game would really be over for her.

''I can cook. I know which plants are poisonous and which are eatable. I know how to light a fire. I know the effect of a lot of herbs. I have a first aid kit. I am an oblinging person. I can shut my mouth if I have to. I am quite intelligent. I am a nice person to be around! I have a lot to offer! You'll need a partner! Our abilities complete each other! Think about it!'', Petra cried. She had some valid points. Embarassment tinted her cheeks in a rosy color, it felt weird to say so many good things about oneself. But she indeed made him stop. It seemed he at least thought about it. The seconds passed by and Petra got more and more anxious.

''You'd share your sanitizers and disinfectants?'', he asked. What a weird question.

''Yes'', she answered anyways. He slowly turned around, gave her a firm look that could make things freeze. Was this a good idea? He semed like a bad guy, was rude and seemed to judge her. But he saved her life... She wished she would not worry that much.

He came closer.

''Alright. We're partners'', he said calmly.

''Thank you, really. So, what's your name then?'', Petra asked with a soft smile on her lips. He pursed his own.

''Heichou'', he replied. How self-assured do you have to be to call yourself 'Heichou'?

''For we are partners now, wouldn't it be appropriate to tell each other our real names? Mine is Petra'', she suggested.

''Tsk. I don't think so'', he replied and let her down. She could not control her facial expressions anymore and her mouth dropped slightly open in shock. What was wrong with this man? He seemed so uncommunitcative. Heichou then again turned around and made his way deeper into the dark forest. It was almost twilight. The times of days in this game were different from the real ones.

''Are you coming or what?'', he said.

Petra hurried to keep up with him. She already doubted if this had been a well through-thought decision of hers. _Let's see what the future holds for me with him by my side_, Petra thought to herself, while walking close behind the mysterious man.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Mhhhhh, who could this mysterious young man be? Okay, I guess you all figured it out anyway. And indeed it is humanity's strongest soldier! And the two mysterious girls at the beginning? Well one of them is Annie and the other one? Is no girl at all! It's our beloved Armin. But I guess you already knew. I liked the idea of giving each charcter that said something about their personality. So how do you like it? Feel free to tell me, I'd be happy to read your reviews!_


	4. Counting Stars

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)_

* * *

**The World We Saw**

_Chapter IV - Counting Stars_

* * *

There weren't many differences between the time before forming a partnership with Heichou and after it. Petra still didn't have someone to talk to, still felt lonely and still didn't know what was going to happen. The only difference was, that now she felt a little safer and was kind of relieved, she completed the first task of 'Attack On Titan'. Maybe the least difficult one, but still.

Petra followed Heichou blindly, entrusting him with her life, for she had no idea where to go. He obviously did. From time to time he used his 3DMG to check from above where to go. Petra anyways, did not dare to ask him where they were going.

''Heichou?'', Petra shyly asked one time.

''Mh?'', he replied.

''I think we have to change our statuses to officially be partners'', she said. Heichou, walking infront of her, opened his menu and Petra watched him while he changed his status from '_Loner_' to '_In a Partnership with Dove_'. Short after, Petra noticed a little envelope in the upper right corner of her vision. She clicked on it and a message opened automatically.

'_Heichou added you as his partner. Agree?' _

Next to it was a photograph of him. It must have been taken before the game started, because he was wearing different clothes. Maybe this was his application photo. He basically looked the same, same bored eyes, same weird haircut. He somehow looked way too much the same. Petra had assumed until now that his grimness came from the situation he was now stuck in, but she had been wrong. On the photograph his eyes were as cold and emotionless as they were now. Just to be sure, Petra checked her own image and found the photograph she had sent along with her application. She was smiling on it. Her father had taken it on a warm day a year ago, when he surprisingly visited her during her 'spring break' about which he had read in the newspaper. Petra was lucky she got a day of from work so she could spend time with her father.

It was the only photo she had of herself.

Then she changed back to Heichou's picture. His look was so bitter compared to hers. She wondered what he had been thinking while someone took this photo of him. Who was that anyway? Petra looked from the photo to the real heichou and noticed, that he looked back at her. Embarrassed she clicked on 'Agree' and closed the message quickly. What an awkward situation. Heichou turned around again, without saying a word. At least no insulting comment.

They travelled on in silence. It got darker and darker but Heichou went on. Wouldn't they need somewhere to spend the night? But Petra did not make a sound.

The forest was asleep already. You could not hear any birds singing, nor any other animals. The atmosphere was tense, everything looked the same, you could easily run in a circle and wouldn't notice it. Why couldn't you hear any animals? No owls, mice or crickets, nothing. It was unnatural.

But Heichou seemed to be in control of the situation, or at least he didn't show that he wasn't. Of course Petra could have signed some branches with a random symbol to see, if they'd pass it again but she didn't.

Instead she started counting stars. She knew that it was futile, everybody told her so, but her father once told her an old wisdom that every mother usually told her first daughter. Because her mother died before she had the chance to let Petra in the secret, her father gave it away.

It says if you count a thousand stars you can wish for something and it will be granted. And even though others were mocking her, she continued counting, not telling why she was doing so. The sad thing was, that every once in a while, she lost track of the number she had counted and so she had to start from the beginning. This happened so often, she never made it to one thousand before.

''Holy shit'', Heichou hissed. Petra noticed too late that he stopped walking and crashed right into him. He ignored her and kept fixating a point infront of him. Petra followed his gaze and gasped for air when she realized what lay right before her feet.

Their feet almost got in touch with a great puddle of blood which they could not have seen earlier because of the lack of light. There was so much blood. You don't realize how much blood a human body holds until you see it. Lots and lots of thick, sticky blood. And in the middle of the blood puddle lay two dead bodies. And no, they did not look like what characters in games looked like when they were dead, absolutely not, they looked like dead people. Real people.

Their bodies looked as if they got attacked by some sort of animal, their torso ripped open, their guts lying in the grass. Their limbs oddly distorted, some bones breaking through the skin. Their eyes blank and lifeless. Their faces pale and somehow greyish. Their mouths wide open, as if they were screaming. What once have been people, with a family, with friends, a backstory, now made two hidious corpses. This was the face of death. This was what was left of us after we died.

''Breath'', Heichou said. Petra looked away from the two piles of meat.

''What?'', she asked in a hoarse voice.

''Breath. It gets better'', he repeated. Tears ran down her cheeks, Petra hadn't noticed before. It gets better? For that statement she could have shouted at him, could have punched him in the face. How could he say something like that so coldly? Without any remorse? She would have said something if he hadn't done exactly what he did. He broke off a thick branch from a near by tree and started digging. Finally Petra realized what he was doing. He was digging graves for the two bodies. Petra could not believe what she saw. This emotionless and coldhearted person really started to dig out a grave for two total strangers. Or at least a projection of how they looked. This still was a game, no matter how real it felt. She had to throw other her thoughts about her partner. He couldn't be that coldhearted if he did this act of respect.

When she calmed down a bit, she imitated him, took a branch and started digging, too. He did not look at her, he just kept on digging maybe just for the sake of it.

It was exhausting and they were sweating a lot, but they did not pause. It took them quite long till the holes were deep enough for the corpses. When they had finished, Heichou did not hesitate, went for the bodies, collected some parts with his bare hands and put them into one of the graves, very carfeul not to mix the parts up. Each body should have a grave for itself.

Petra got ready to help him, but when she touched parts of a leg, she started to gag. The smell was disturbing. Disgusted she made a few steps backwards.

''Leave it. I'll do it'', Heichou said and Petra was just too grateful to get away from the smell and the blood and the pieces of meat. She backed away from the strange scenario, tried to breath steadily and to control her gag reflex.

''Are the holes even big enough for the bodies to fit in?'', she asked carefully.

''Men'', Heichou replied firmly as always.

''Excuse me?''

''Not bodies. These are men'', he said.

Petra felt caught. Of course, they were men. She kept thinking of them as bodies. But Heichou was right. Two of_ them_ were already dead. Two out of seventeen. She could have been one of them if he wouldn't have saved her. She had to sit down for a moment, she got all dizzy. The wold began to swirl before her eyes. Feelings of guilt overwhelmed her. She hadn't even been one day in this game and already lost her sense of humanity? After she shed a few more tears she returned to her partner. He was finished with burying and now knelt on one knee infront of the two graves, with bowed head. She knelt down beside him.

''I'm sorry'', she whispered and swallowed heavily.

''It's a symbol. Who knows what they do with their real bodies'', he explained. They knelt there for a long time. The night went on silently as if it paid its respect itself. Petra had many questions stuck in her head. What were the men's names? Maybe she would never know. But then she had an idea. She opened her menu and searched through the list of gameplayers. Behind each name was the person's status and behind of two of them Petra could read the word 'deceased'. LuKiss and LochNess. They had names. They were allies but you could not get any more information about them.

''LuKiss and LochNess. That were their names'', Petra broke the silence.

''Let's go. We need somewhere to sleep tonight'', he replied after some minutes. He stood up and walked away from the graves. Petra followed him. She noticed the blood stains on his clothes and his shaking hands. He obviously felt uncomfortable.

Petra shortened the distance between the two of them, she now walked next to him instead of behind him. They walked close to each other, feeling the other person's warmth but never touching. Her intuition told her that he was thankful but she could not be sure, for she did not know him very well yet.

They found a cave after an hour of searching. It wasn't too big but it was close to a river with clean water. Petra went on a search for firewood and was very successful. Of course they were hungry but their energy levels were depleted and so they decided to just rest and hunt for food tomorrow.

When she came back she wondered where Heichou was but didn't worry too much. She lit a fire inside the cave and warmed herself up. The time span between the moment she had last seen him and now got wider and wider. Where was he?

Petra left the cave and looked around. At first she could not see him but then she caught a figure moving in the water. The moon got reflected by the soft waves that surrounded his silhouette and made the river sparkle. What was he doing in the middle of the night in the middle of a cold river? She looked closer. He was standing there in full panoply. Only his 3DMG was lying at the riverside, safe from the water.

He was washing himself. He was washing the blood off in a very aggressive manner.

Petra opened her menu and clicked on the first aid kit. She rummaged around in it until she found what she was searching for. Then she headed towards the river. Without hesitation she went straight into the cold water. For sure she was going to be sick after this but she could not have cared less. There was someone needing her help. Someone who could not simply ask for it. Silence is the loudest cry, her father once told her.

He didn't seem to hear her coming, he was way too busy with scratching off the blood from his pants, his jacket and his hands. He seemed lost in the night. Desperate but so strong at the same time. His face was expressionless like always but you could tell he was diving in his own thoughts. Only when she was right in front of him, he noticed her. He looked up and for the first time it seemed, he really saw her.

She never looked away from his face while carefully reaching for his hands. Then she opened the disinfectant and put some of it in his hands. She carefully scrubbed off the dirt and blood, and surprisingly he let her do it. He arrogantly looked up into the nightsky, though.

''Are you counting the stars?'', Petra asked him, smiling warmly.

''What?'' He seemed confused for a second but then contained himself again.

''If you count a thousand stars you can wish for something and it will come true, you know'', she explained to him.

''That's bull-''

''You lie'', she interrupted him, still smiling. ''Try it and you'll see.'' Petra knew she was breaking the rules but she felt like he needed some hope.

''So it worked for you?'', he asked doubtfully.

''No... I never made it to thousand. Let's count them together. Each 500. Then we can wish for something'', Petra suggested.

''Tsk. That's childish. We will count the same stars'', he said.

''So? Who cares?''

Petra looked up into the sky and started counting and after a moment in which he counted the freckles on her face, he decided to join in. So they stood there in the middle of a river at night and counted stars like children.

Like ten minutes later they already counted 500 each.

''So, what do we wish for?'', he asked. She liked how he said 'we'.

''Whatever you want.''

''I want this to end.'', he said in an angry tone of voice.

''Oh, it is going to end. Let's wish this will end well, shall we?'' He knitted his eyebrows at her comment but nodded.

''And how do we wish for it?'', he asked.

''Close your eyes, concentrate and repeat your wish again and again until it feels right to stop. But don't say a word. Ready?'', she explained. He did not have to know, that she was making this part of the story up, it sounded good. Petra hadn't forgotten about the two men, she probably never would, but right now she had to help someone else to deal with it.

Reluctantly he closed his sharp eyes but his strictly controlled facial expression did not change at all. Who was the person infront of her? Petra felt as if she had found someone very special. Someone to keep close. She was happy she got the chance to meet him and that he chose her as his partner even though he could have had someone better. She was eager to get to know him and fight alongside him until the very end, which hopefully would be a happy one. They would see.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I know I have very little dialog and that the story only slowly progresses. But at first I want Petra and Levi to establish a solid realtionship and then the action sets in. And I think in the next chapter or the chapter after the next they will meet two new people and they are going to be in the 'main cast'! Anyway, did you like this chapter? I love the counting stars thing, it is such a sweet thing to tell children when they are having a hard time. It gives them hope. But what do you think?_


	5. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)_

* * *

**The World We Saw**

_Chapter V – Are You Lonesome Tonight?_

* * *

It was the same thing all over again. She was in some sort of an empty space, maybe just in an extremely dark place, like a cave or anything like that. Somehow she can smell the dead stone, the wetness everywhere. The overall darkness gives her the feeling to be extremely small.

Even though the darkness swallows almost everything, Petra is able to see a movement in the far back. She knows, she probably should not go there but she still moves her feet. Step by step she gets closer to the movement, but it does not get any brighter the closer she gets. How strange that physics don't matter in a dream. When she gets closer, she can't see the scenario yet, but she is able to hear it. The sounds of flesh falling onto the ground, or flesh torn apart. Brutal, cruel sounds, you hear in slaughterhouses only. It is disgusting and interesting at the same time. Where do these sounds come from?

Then she approaches the mysterious source of the sound. Even though she saw it several nights before, the image was as shocking as ever. It was like a painting by Francisco De Goya; very dark, scary, disgusting even. Although Goya's paintings have a certain beauty in them, this scenario was the opposite of beautiful. It was ugly and disturbing. Petra had to gag, she tried to run away from it, but suddenly her legs could no longer move.

Infront of her was a creature as big as a house. It had human features, like the face and vague body structure, but it wasn't human. It was a monster. Eyes big and empty, you could see no soul in them, the face expressionless, but maybe not, somehow it seemed content, calm even. The mouth wide open, the teeth sharp and dirty. Its mouth was blotched with blood and parts of flesh. The monster had no sexual organs, you could not identify its gender. Its movements were slow, but you could see the monster was strong. Some parts of its skin were covered in blood, others in hair. Some pieces of meat were even entangled in that hair. It had long, boney fingers with chewed short fingernails in a yellow tone of color. On its head it had a few strands of thin, blond hair and some open wounds. It seemed the monster had ripped out its own hair.

Obviously it hadn't noticed Petra yet, because it continued chewing on the thing in its hands. Petra took a closer look and felt like crying out, but no sound escaped her mouth. In its hands the thing held parts of a human body. The torso of a man, the head already missing, blood streaming out of the open neck, gounting to the ground, leaving behind a dark red puddle.

The monster smacked loudly but suddenly it stopped, turned around and faced the petrified Petra. She looked at it with big, scared eyes. Tears running down her face. There was no chance she could outrun this thing, so she remained still when it reached for her. It grabbed her ungently and squeezed her with its big hands. The look in its eyes turned from calm to insane, or hungry, it was hard to tell. The thing didn't blink a single time.

Petra could no longer breath, no longer move, not scream, not think. She was completely helpless and the only thing she knew was that she hated feeling like this. The thing opened its mouth widely, about to swallow her in a whole, but before that, Petra closed her eyes, reluctantly embracing her death sentence. At the last second she opened her mouth and a loud scream emerged from the top of her lungs.

In that exact moment she woke up, only to see that Heichou's head was above hers. He looked at her with puckered brows and opened mouth. He moved his lips as if he was saying something, but all Petra could hear was a high squeaking sound. It got better and soon she could hear what he was saying but only as if it was through a thick curtain. Surprisingly it was no insult, but her name.

''Dove. Wake up, Dove. God damn, wake up. Petra'', he said in his deep, husky voice. The last word was as clear as mountain water and left behind a ringing in her head.

''Yes?'', she answered. It was only then, that she noticed she was breathing unsteadily and that her cheeks were covered in salty tears.

''Are you in your right senses?'', he asked, still just being a head infront of her eyes, bodyless.

''You have beautiful eyes. They're unreal'', she murmured with half closed eyes. He breathed out sharply.

''Can you sit up?'' Before she could give an answer, he supported her weight and helped her to sit up by putting one hand on her shoulder and pulling on one of her arms. The world before her eyes was swirling around, she could finally feel the earth moving around itself and around the sun. How weird, you think you're completely still, even though you are travelling through the universe with high speed. This lets you quenstion reality doesn't it? But then she remembered. Nothing of this is real. Not the ground on which she is sitting, not the fire next to her, or the warm hand on her shoulder. It's all in her head. But does this really mean it isn't real?

''This can't go on. This is the fourth night in a row I wake up because of your screaming. I come to think that it was the wrong decision to make you my partner only because I can't find sleep because of you'', he said grimly.

Thats right, they've already been five days in this hell. Stuck between pixels and holograms. Heichou slowly opened up to her, got used to her presence. He still didn't talk much, but more each day. They wandered together through the forest, trying to reach the wall before others did. Heichou teached her to hunt and she teached him to light a fire, to cook and to recognize poisonous herbs. But he wasn't very skilled in cooking, so she continued to prepare their meals. On the other hand she didn't like to hunt, to kill animals without hesitation, so he obtained the things she needed to prepare a meal.

They had a perfect symbiosis, completed each other with their different skills. Petra tried her best to be helpful and to not be in his way. She tried to be nice, to please him. Heichou was a difficult person, mysterious and almost shy like a deer. But somehow it didn't bother her. She had always liked people with personality, special people. Most of the time they were the ones with the most interesting backgrounds.

Petra couldn't say for sure if Heichou noticed the way she acted around him, he just did his thing like always. But something did change the last couple of days. They talked more, he sometimes even asked questions, seemed more relaxed around her. But as soon as they met someone else, he stiffed up again.

They did not meet many people on their way and if they met someone they soon parted. Heichou was not a very social person and wasn't the one to form friendships. It was not unusual that people asked Petra why she chose him as a partner, but her answer was always the same 'He's a good person. He is skillful and loyal. I have nothing to complain about'. And that was all she had to say. Granted, he was rude sometimes and arrogant, but he was reliable. Slowly, Petra started to grow quite fond of him, maybe because he was the reason she wasn't alone anymore, maybe because she saw good in everyone and maybe because he was the only person around.

''I'm sorry'', Petra apologized. She really was, she hated to be the reason for someone else's discomfort.

''Tsk. Tell me about it'', he suddenly said. He still sat next to her but looked into the fire, not at her as he spoke.

''About what?'', she asked, rubbing her eyes. She missed a blanket. Or a pillow. Or a bed. All they had were thin mats, made of leaves and thin tree branches.

''Are you kidding me? About your nightmare, of course'', he said, sounding annoyed. Petra wasn't sure if she could entrust him with such a personal issue. She didn't know him well and she didn't want him to think she was weak or easily scared. But then again, maybe it would help her, so she decided to step out of her comfort zone and tell him the truth.

''It's always the same. I am in a dark place, very very dark and run towards something so... so... disturbing, but I can't stop. I am scared but I cannot move away from it'', she said heavy-heartedly.

''What do you see?'', he asked calmly. He really seemed to listen for some reason.

''I see... a monster. It looks like a gigantic human being. Like a giant maybe. And it is devouring another human. There's blood everywhere. Then it sees me and tries to eat me as well. At the last second I usually scream in pure terror. I know, it is stupid'', Petra ends her story. Suddenly she felt ashamed of her stupid and childish nightmares and regretted telling him about them. Blushing, she turned away, trying to hide her face by wrapping her arms around her legs and hiding it inbetween her knees.

''Why are you dreaming this?'', he asked. The question surprised Petra. What a strange question to ask. You cannot control what you dream, at least she couldn't.

''I don't know'', she answered honestly.

''Well, how do you feel when you dream? Or in general. We have to get to the core so it finally stops. I am really tired, literally'', Heichou said quietly in his monotone voice. Sometimes Petra wondered what was going on inside of him, why he acted the way he did. He can't be this numb for real. Everybody felt something. Sometimes she felt as if they had to climb his wall instead of wall Maria to win the game.

''I don't know. Nothing special, I guess. Cold, maybe. And... and...'', she lost the thread.

''And?'', Heichou asked.

For a moment Petra could hardly speak. She could not say what she felt. She just could not. It did not matter how she felt. It was of no great importance. This game was not about feelings or personal well-being, it was about strength and courage. You could not reveal your weaknesses that easily. Who knew who this guy really was. Maybe he was playing a role, trying to benefit from her and ready to sacrifice her at any possible minute.

But then she saw the look on his face. His cold grey eyes, revealing so much of his real personality, and she knew he was not faking anything. He waited for her to speak out what_ he_ felt, as well. She knew. She could read it from his eyes. He was begging her to say it. Maybe he did not even realize it, maybe he would never know, but Petra now understood. They were the same. They felt the same.

''Lonesome'', she finally said. Not louder than a whisper. Heichou had waited patiently for her to speak again, still not looking at her.

''But I am here with you. You are not alone'', he whispered back. Nobody dared to speak louder than the spitting fire.

''Lonely doesn't mean alone. I feel desolated. Unsafe. Weak'', she confessed, the last word barily understandable. Petra noticed the sudden change in Heichou's posture. He held his head higher, nervously trashed around and softly chewed on the inside of his lower lip. It was unusual for him to not be absolutely still.

''And what do you intend to do now?'', he asked.

''I don't know'', Petra sighed. She felt as if she knew nothing.

''I... thought you felt safe with me'', he then continued. Was he stammering? Petra decided to ignore it, but she blushed slightly and couldn't hide it from him. Yes, indeed, she felt safe with him, too safe even. But where was he in her sleep?

''I do. But, I mean, when I am asleep, well, dreaming, you, you aren't there'', she aswered, also stammering.

She cursed her slow brain and the way she blushed so quickly. And then Heichou surprised her. He stood up, went straight to his mat, took it from the ground, carried it around the fireplace and let it fall to the ground next to Petra's. Then he sat down on it and turned to Petra.

''I am doing this, so I can finally sleep'', he said and lay down, closing his eyes. For a moment Petra could not move. It happened so quickly she had to repeat it in her head in slow motion.

Her heart hammered heavily against her ribs and she could not look away from the man lying next to her. Never in her life she had slept so close to a man. Maybe it was embarrassing for a girl her age to have close to none experience with the opposite gender, but she never had the chance to get to know any guys for she always had to work in her free time and was tired in the evenings.

Heichou was so close now. After she calmed down a little, she lay down next to him, facing him. And now she finally noticed that he was beautiful. Maybe not plain beautiful or attractive like the male models in commercials, but in his own way. She sucked in every detail of his face. His thin, trimmed eyebrows, his sharp eyes with the dark circles underneath, the slightly bluish lids, his straight nose, high cheek bones and full lips, the bottom lip a little fuller than the other, his pale skin, the dark thick strands of hair falling over his forehead. She tried to brand mark this image into her mind.

''Are you asleep, yet?'', she whispered.

''Mh'', he responded without opening his eyes. Petra hoped he hadn't felt her staring at him, most people did notice if someone was looking at them, though.

''Maybe I would feel a little less alone if you told me your real name. But if you don't want to you don't have to, of course.'' It was hard to ask him this, but it felt right. They were partners, they had to trust each other.

''That would really help you?'', he grunted.

''Yes'', Petra said. For a moment he was quiet.

''Levi.'' _Levi_... What a name. It fitted perfectly to him. It was short, elegant and special. Just like him. And the sound of it, so delicate. Petra instantly liked it.

''Levi... My name is Petra'', she said.

''I know. Good night'', he grunted a little annoyed. Of course he knew, she had told him the first day they met.

''Good night. Levi.''

Then she finally closed her eyes as well, content with herself, the situation she was in even. Of course she hated this game, the experiment, this world, but for now she enjoyed the moment. And even if it was just for the minute, she did not feel alone. She could hear his steady breathing, feel his warmth and everytime she opened her eyes, she would see him lying next to her.

So this time it was easy for her to find sleep. She didn't dream at all, or at least she couldn't remember what she dreamed the next morning. She felt recovered. But she felt something else as well, as soon as she woke up. Something warm and soft. She opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was the still sleeping Levi, but the second thing was _his_ hand holding _her_ hand. And that was when she was sure, he hadn't only helped her, but she had helped him in return.

* * *

_Author's Note: _

_Not much action, but they start to establish a valid relationship, which is in my opinion a good base for thrilling action. And there will be some, I guarantee. So, how do you like it so far? Leave me a review if you like and I wish you all a nice day! :)_


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